Red Sea

The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean lying between Africa and Asia, separating the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn of Africa. It extends approximately 2 250 km from the Bab el-Mandeb strait in the south, which connects it to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, to the Sinai Peninsula in the north, where it splits into the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. The sea is bordered by Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Jordan, making it a critical waterway for multiple nations. Its strategic significance lies in its role as a vital shipping corridor, with the Suez Canal at its northern end providing the shortest maritime route between Europe and Asia. An estimated 12% of global trade and significant volumes of oil and liquefied natural gas pass through the Red Sea annually, making it one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints. The sea is relatively narrow, averaging about 280 km in width, which makes it vulnerable to disruption from geopolitical tensions, piracy or military conflict. Its warm, saline waters support diverse marine ecosystems, including extensive coral reefs, though these face pressure from shipping, coastal development and climate change. The Red Sea has been a trade route since ancient times, and its economic and strategic importance has only grown with the expansion of global energy and container shipping.